Searching
by Eliza Garcia
Summary: (Spoilers!) Set a month after "The Village" ends. Kevin (park ranger) decideds to go into the woods.
1. Just A Dream

**Summary:** This is centered on Kevin's thoughts and decisions after seeing Ivy. Multi-chaptered.  
**Story Rating:** PG-13 just to be safe.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own "The Village" nor the characters associated with it. The story is, however, mine and can not be reproduced without my permission. I would like to have Lucius though, so if possible, please give him to me -  
**Chapter Title:** Just a Dream

**A/N: **Well, I'm giving another full-length story a chance. Kevin intrigued me as a character and Shyamalan made this story perfect for fanfics. Forgive me if this is oddly spaced, has changed some things so I'm not sure how it will turn out. Please review! Constructive criticism is always welcomed.

**Chapter 1: Just a Dream  
**Breathlessly, Kevin Lupinski sat bolt up from his bed again. Another nightmare had interrupted his sleep. The window to his apartment over looking the city streets of Pennsylvania was open, letting in the night breeze. Still, despite the fall weather, he was drenched in sweat. Throwing was remained of covers off of him, he rose and walked to his window, opening it all the way so that he could lean on the sill and stick his head out. It was same street he had lived on since his parents had died, occasional dog barks from distant homes and car engines breaking the golden silence.  
The simple thought of his parents made him blink several times to remember that they were no longer with him and never would be. When he heard news of the car accident, he had been working at the sanctuary. The Boss had called him over the walkie-talkie and told him to come back to the station and he did. There he found his eighteen year old self face to face with a police officer. He should have known something had happened, but he hadn't. And that didn't help him accept the accident. Soon after the funeral he used his ranger wages to rent an apartment. And there he was now, another nightmare waking him at three in the morning. ****

It was the same nightmare that had woken him since a month ago, but before it only occurred once every two weeks; now it occurred nightly. Every night it was nearly the same. He'd be walking in the sanctuary, and he'd see her at the end of a secluded path. She'd always be there, her unfocused eyes looking at him—no, in his direction. She was always there. Ivy. Then, he'd always start running towards her, but the more he ran, the farther away she became. But recently, the more he ran, the clearer Ivy's face became. In that sense, it was a dream. A very happy dream as he knew he yearned deep within him to see Ivy again. But never being able to reach her made the reoccurring dream a nightmare.

It wasn't so strange that Ivy was in his dreams or nightmare. She had appeared out of no where and left just as quickly. She lived in the woods where no one was allowed to enter and where planes were not allowed to fly over. What was strange is that the woods looked so familiar and so solid. He had never been inside them; it was the only rule set out before him by the Boss. Do not go into the woods. Do not let anyone else into the woods. Like he had told him the day Ivy had appeared; it was an easy gig.  
Kevin sighed and partially closed the window before returning to his bed. The meaning of the dream had raised questions in his head. All his thoughts were unspoken, of course. He couldn't tell anyone about Ivy, not that he had many people to tell, and much less would he be able to tell his Boss. He had never told him about Ivy.

Since he still had the same route, he always slowed down in the place she had first appeared. It was almost as if he expected her to fall over the wall again. Maybe he just wanted her to.  
The pocket watch she had given him lay on his bed side table. He had taken it to a shop and had been told he could fetch quiet a bit of money for it, but he hadn't been able to part with it. It was his only link to Ivy. It was the only thing that made her real. She was solid. He had helped her up the ladder, he had touched her. He was as real as he was.  
He replayed the day often in his head. When he had returned, Ivy had been sitting against the wall, her hands wrapped around her knees in a protective position. She was mouthing some sort of song. When she heard the car, she had stood up. He still didn't know how she knew it was him; he guessed that she had simply assumed. He had set up the ladder for her and helped her up it. When she got to the last step, ready to climb back down on the other side, she turned to him.  
"Thank you, Kevin, for being so kind. I will never forget you," Ivy had said, a soft smile on her lips. And then she was gone. He heard her land on the other side, and then after that there was no sound of motion for a minute or two. After those minutes he heard her take a few steps and then break into a run. He wished that she had said something else to him.  
No one ever figured out who had taken or misplaced the medicine. Everything became as normal as it could become. No one questioned him anymore and his boss had forgotten about the day. Kevin had tried to find out more about the sanctuary, but all information was kept secret and he couldn't ask questions without being questioned.

As his thoughts drifted to the actual sanctuary, he wondered why he had not been told more. All he had been told is that it was a protected by the state and that it was their job to make sure no one disturbed the woods. It was quite mysterious but he had never questioned it until Ivy had appeared. What were they protecting? What was inside the woods he spent eight hours a day patrolling? Why were the woods so important? He had a lot of questions and he felt that they could all be answered by Ivy. If only she had lingered longer, if only she had been more willing to talk to him. She held answers.  
Kevin sighed again as he turned over in his bed, covering himself with a few sheets. Ivy had the answer about the woods. He wanted the answers. As he closed his eyes his sleepy mind made his decision. He has to find Ivy.


	2. Into the Woods

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own "The Village" or any of the characters. Once again, if someone wants to give me Joaquin, I'll gladly take him. -  
**Chapter Title:** Into the Woods

**A/N:** Yay, I've written another chapter! My one problem with multi-chaptered stories is that I'm not patient enough to get the story going. It'll get better, I promise. The characters will develop in chapters to come. Thanks to all those that reviewed. Ideas are welcomed! Feel free to leave constructive criticism as well. Don't forget to leave a review!

**Chapter 2: Into the Woods **

Ivy Walker sat on the steps of the school house, sightlessly watching the children play. It was the end of the week and a mood of normality and calm had settled on the secluded village once again.  
A smile crept onto her face as a familiar sight approached her. Ivy instinctively extended her hand into thin air. A few second passed, but as expected, Lucius Hunt's hand met hers. Ivy smiled at him as he sat next to her; their hands still entwined. Lucius looked at her, and as usual Ivy sensed his question without him having to ask it.  
"I will not tell you your color. It is not lady like to speak of such things," Ivy said as she turned her head to him. "Stop asking," she finished. A rare smile came across Lucius's lips and he turned to watch the children.  
"Should you not be resting? The doctor said you should stay in bed as often as possible until your wound fully heals," Ivy questioned, a note of scolding in her voice.  
"I feel fine, Ivy. I can not leave the others to do my chores. I am well enough to be up and about," Lucius paused for a moment, taking a deep breath as he squeezed her hand.

"Ivy….It has been a month and you have yet to tell me of Covington Woods," Lucius finished. Ivy turned her head away from him and appeared to be looking directly ahead of her. The children were now intently involved in a game of tag.  
"I should not speak of it. Those we don't speak of were angry and took Noah all because I ventured into their woods. Now they are silent and let us hope it remains so." Ivy's voice quavered slightly as she spoke. When the elders had told her of Noah finding the suit, Ivy had not known what to say. Although she had not meant to do such a thing, her hands were now stained red with Noah's blood. No one except the elders knew and they had asked her to stay silent for as long as possible. She was forbidden to tell even Lucius.  
"And of the towns? You have not spoken of them, Ivy," Lucius responded, his eyes directly on her as she blindly looked ahead. "Did you speak to anyone, Ivy? Surely you must have to have obtained the medicine."  
"Lucius, I have told no one but the elders of my journey. Not even Kitty knows what happened, so you must promise not to breathe a word," this caused Ivy to smile. Asking Lucius to take a vow of silence was redundant. Her smile disappeared as she continued.  
"I spoke to only one person. He…he was the one that obtained the medicine for me. His name was Kevin. Kevin is such an odd name, I have never heard one like it," Ivy said, her voice growing softer as she spoke on.  
"I gave him the paper with the medicine listed and my grandfather's pocket watch. He was surprised, as if he did not believe I had come from the woods. You see, I had to climb a wall and jump over. I do not know how long the wall was, but I felt around and it seemed to stretch out everywhere."  
"He left to go retrieve the medicine and he returned fairly quickly. He brought back a ladder to help me over the wall that separated the woods from the rest of the area." Ivy kept her head looking forward, seemingly unbothered by the few loose strands of her orange hair that blew into her face with the gust of wind. Her unseeing eyes appeared to be seeing something Lucius could not. When she spoke again, her voice was hardly above a whisper.  
"He was kind, Lucius. He was from the towns that the elders have always told us were wicked, yet he was kind. He got me the medicine that saved your life and for that I'd never think unkindly of him," Ivy finished. When she stopped speaking, Lucius squeezed her hand as if to bring her back to reality. Finally, she shook her head and turned to Lucius once more.  
"Kevin was the only one I spoke to," Ivy explained, once again answering Lucius's unasked question. She had a knack for that.  
"Have you thought of him...of the towns…often?" Lucius asked.  
"Let us not speak of the towns anymore. You are well and healing and I am here, away from the woods," Ivy responded. She stood from the steps and grabbed her new cane from beside her.  
"Kitty is supposed to be making lunch for the children today," Ivy explained, letting go of Lucius hand.  
"Let's go get ready for lunch, come on now, all of you," Ivy yelled, ushering the children to begin walking in front of her. Some had already begun racing to the Walker home, where Kitty would be waiting.  
Lucius stood up slowly and watched Ivy begin her way from the school house to her home. She had taken the hand of Hannah, one of the youngest girls in the village and was laughing joyously at something Hannah had said. If it had not been for the yells of the children encouraging him to join them, Lucius might have stood there all day. Instead, he followed behind, bringing up the rear.

Kevin drank his cup of coffee quietly. He had called in sick from work and had told the Boss that he needed a few weeks off. A sick relative needed his care, he had said. Kevin snorted into his drink. His parents had never been close to their siblings and he hadn't seen any relatives since their funeral. The Boss had never liked him, so he had willingly let him go. A few weeks without Kevin being nice to the curious travelers was perfect.

Kevin was ready. Sighing to himself, he got up and washed his coffee cup. Today was the day. His backpack was sitting on the foot of his bed, ready to go. He had packed enough food for a couple days. Why had he asked for so many days off? Kevin shrugged as he asked the question to himself. Even if he couldn't find Ivy, he still needed time off. And what if he did find Ivy? What was he to do then? This was too unlike him. He's going out on a limb to find a girl that lives in the woods.

What if he actually managed to get over the fence? The sanctuary was enormous…how was he supposed to find Ivy? A whole village could probably fit in it. And perhaps it did.

But what if it didn't? What if he was just chasing a ghost? A figment of his imagination?

"She's real," Kevin said firmly to himself. He picked up his navy blue backpack and slung it onto his back. Kevin grabbed his water bottle off the table and headed out the door, locking it behind him.  
He took a bus to the stop nearest to the sanctuary; yet it was still a couple miles before he would reach the spot where he planned to jump over. A sign at the entrance of the park read "Walker National Park." Ten minutes past the sign and he was walking past the Boss's station. Kevin stopped as he saw the shed near it. Someone had left the same ladder he had lent to Ivy, outside. It was an incredible stroke of luck. Kevin took it as a sign that he was meant to look for her.

Kevin took the gold watch from his pocket and opened it. It read 1 o'clock. No one would pass the spot where he planned to climb over for at least another couple hours. By then he would hopefully be over the fence and well on his search for Ivy.  
"Alright, here goes nothing," Kevin said to himself as he set up the ladder and began climbing it. Once he reached the top, he sat on the fence and threw over his backpack. Then he used his legs to balance himself as he tried to bring the ladder up and over the wall with him. Realizing he could not sit on the top of the wall for long, especially since he had no sense of balance, he repositioned himself and began pulling the ladder up. He managed to get most of it, but soon he had to move his legs slightly so he could set the ladder down gently and close enough for him to climb back down. When he tried moving his legs, he heard a rip. Looking down, he saw that his khaki pants were stuck on the branches of the bush that had grown onto the wall. Cursing to himself, he let the ladder fall onto the ground as he untangled himself. With the ladder flat on the ground, he had no choice but to jump.  
Kevin grunted as he landed on all fours, the pebbles on the ground sticking to the palm of his hand. With another groan, he got up and dusted himself off. Turning back to the ladder, he picked it up and hid it in the bushes on the side of the path. Once he picked up his back pack, he took one last look at the wall and turned around.  
A small gasp escaped Kevin's rosy lips as he immediately recognized the path he had never really seen. It was identical to the one in his dream. He looked around, taking in the woods and half expecting Ivy to blindly run to him and greet him. When nothing but the sounds of distant birds came to his ears, he began walking.  
Kevin took a sip of his water bottle every so often. He had yet to see anyone or anything. He must have been walking for hardly thirty minutes when the he heard the sounds of a river. Sure enough, as he kept walking down the pebbled path, a river came into view to the left of him. The path seemed to end as well, as the pebbles became fewer and disappeared into the leaves and branches of fallen trees. As he looked from left to right, he tried to picture Ivy. She had not been wet when she had hopped over the fence, so she probably did not cross the river. That meant she came from the right. Turning himself, he began trekking through the dense part of the woods. As he walked, he came across a stick that was long enough for him to use as a walking stick.  
It had rained a couple of nights ago, and the mud on the ground was a testament to it. Glancing up, Kevin could make out grey clouds above the seemingly endless trees. The last thing he needed was for it to rain. He only had his jacket to keep him warm. It hadn't really occurred to him to bring a sleeping bag, but if he didn't find Ivy before night fall, he would be forced to spend the night in the woods alone.  
Other then the sounds of distant animals and the creaking of tree leaves and sticks under his feet, Kevin couldn't hear much else. It was serene and quiet; despite the eerie feeling he felt came from the trees. They seemed to hold a secret, and he felt as if he was intruding.

Hours had gone by, and Kevin was still walking. He had kept going straight. It occurred to him then that he should have left signs to himself in case he wanted to turn back. Cursing himself again, he looked up at the sky. Stopping, he took out the watch again and looked at the time. It was only four o'clock, yet the trees and the lack of sun made it seem like after seven. Sighing, Kevin looked around him and saw a clump of leaves near a tree trunk. Sitting down, he looked through his pack and found one of the sandwiches he had prepared for himself. It was a good thing he was in shape, or else he would have felt ten times more tired, he thought to himself. After he finished his lunch, he got up and was off again.  
Two hours later, it was apparent that he would not be able to get any farther without a flashlight, which he had completely forgotten to bring. He had brought a pack of matches, and when he found a place that was clear enough for a small fire and himself, he settled down and retrieved a few sticks. He put on his dark green jacket and wrapped his blanket around himself. The fire was helping him keep warm, but the looming clouds over head threatened to spill water.  
He had never taken to camping, and the once small and insignificant noise made by small animals now became noisy and mysterious. The shadows once created by harmless bushes now became the image of predators. More then once he had whipped around, convinced that something was approaching, but each time he saw and heard nothing more.

The walk had tired him and Kevin now found himself yawning. He would have to give into sleep soon, but he added enough wood to the fire to keep it going through the night. As long as the fire kept going, he was safe. Perhaps tomorrow he would find Ivy. He had not given up hope. As he drifted into an uneasy sleep, his hand clutched the gold watch.


	3. Watching Puddles Gather Rain

**Disclaimer:** I think I'm going to stop putting this on here since everyone knows I am not MNS and while I would like to own a yellow cloak, I own nothing in connection to "The Village."

**Rating:** PG-13 warning goes into affect in this chapter because Kevin curses a little bit.  
**Chapter Title: Watching Puddles Gather Rain**

**A/N:** Well, I want to get at least this chapter up before starts "repairing" the site problems. The story is going somewhere, I promise, thanks for your patience with it! I'm also working on the spacing. It really bothers me that doesn't allow indentations. It just makes everything look sloppy. Grr. Also, I've always wanted to do this with a story. All the chapter titles are going to be taken from a song lyric to random songs. The first chapter is from R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" and the last chapter is from the musical "Into the Woods." I will say where this chapter's title is from in the next chapter. My author's notes are always too long, hehe. I was having writer's block with this chapter, but then it turned into the chapter that would not end, and I don't write long ones usually so enjoy it. - That's about it…don't forget to review!

**Chapter 3: Watching Puddles Gather Rain**

Throughout the night and well into the morning the ancient trees made their usual creaking sounds. Kevin woke to the sounds of the trees whispering to each other in an unknown language to humans. At some point during the night Kevin had decided to lie down, and now found himself covered with leaves and even a few insects that had decided to explore this new found obstacle.

He swatted the bugs off of him and ruffled his dark hair, attempting to remove the leaves and dust that had acquired there since he had not used a pillow. He yawned and rubbed his eyes and finally decided he should sit up. Taking the pocket watch out, he looked at the time. Nine AM. It was hard to believe he had actually slept through the night. He half expected a pack of wolves to attack him; which was odd because he didn't think wolves even lived in the preserve, but then again he hadn't know Ivy lived in it either.

Sighing, he reached over for his pack and took out the last sandwich he had made. He had a decision to make. He could either continue in the way he was going, or turn back. In one direction, he may come across Ivy, in the other, he would not. This was completely insane. Who goes after some girl that lives in the woods? Kevin shook his head. It was completely and utterly insane. But that's what made it so intriguing. A girl living in the woods is insane, yet she did. It's insane to think that he would find her, but he may. He didn't know. Just like he didn't know what exactly lay in these woods. It occurred to him that he didn't know a lot of things. The one question he could ask himself is 'why'. But if he continued questioning his actions, then he would never accomplish anything.

Once he finished his ham sandwich, he put his blanket away, and was just about to put his jacket in his pack as well when he felt a drop on his head. Glancing up, a rough drop hit his eye.

"Damn it," he muttered and rubbed the water away. His action was in vain as more drops soon fell from the grey clouds above him. Sighing, he put his jacket on quickly and slung the back over his head. He could turn back now and make it over the fence before a storm hit. Or he could go forward and hope against all hope that he would come across Ivy. He couldn't give up the search.

Kevin looked towards each direction, his dark eyes surveying what lay behind him and what lay before him. With a definite step he walked forward, not daring to look back in fear that he would change his mind.

The rain never ceased as he trudged along, his hiking boots becoming covered in mud as he walked. Even with the rain falling onto the trees, they were uncharacteristically quiet, and he felt as if they were watching his every move.

'Perhaps it's like that one movie; maybe the trees can walk and talk.' The thought actually made him chuckle a bit. 'What was it called again? Such an awesome movie; it had great battle scenes.' Shrugging, he continued to have internal conversations to fill the silence around him. He was too used to the noise of chatter and cars that filled the streets of Pennsylvania. He entertained himself with his conversations and tried not to think about how the farther he walked; the least likely it would be that he would come across anything of importance.

An hour, and then another, passed. Kevin felt worried that he wouldn't be able to remember the way back. Had he made the wrong decision? Suddenly, he stopped. He smelt something. It smelt like fire. Like a stove of some sort. He looked around him and could not see anything to his sides. The only sensible thing to do was to continue walking. The farther he walked, the stronger the smell became. It wasn't just one thing burning; it smelt like a few fires going. It even smelt like food. The muddy ground squished underneath him as he broke into a jog. Animals don't cook their food. Not wild animals. The more he ran, the more distinguished the smells became. Chicken soup with vegetables. That's what it smelt like. Hadn't his mother once said something to him about not running while it was raining? Why had she said that?

"Shit," Kevin said as his foot slipped and he fell forward, throwing out his hands to break his fall. Still, his khaki pants acquired quite a bit of mud on them as he stood up and tried to rub them off. His hands were now muddy too and he did his best to rub the dirt off. The entire time he did this, he looked only at his hands and the bottom of his pants. Once he decided it was the best he could do, he looked up. Smoke from chimneys. Chimneys that were part of houses. Houses that were in the middle of a clearing…

"Oh my…," Kevin couldn't even finish his sentence as his mouth dropped. It was a village. There were houses in the middle of the woods. He didn't see anyone, but it was raining so who would be outside? He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands, his mouth still open. Slowly, he walked forward and saw a watch tower. No one was apparently in it. He continued walking, his heart beating at a quick pace, his tan face in a look of disbelief. It was a village.

Slowly, he trudges along, almost tripping on twigs that he did not pay attention to. Soon he found himself out of the woods. Looking up and around, he saw tall poles with yellow flags attached to them, each marked with yellow paint. He exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Why had no one told him of this place? He continued walking, taking down the hood of his dark green jacket as he did so, not caring that the rain would soon soak his hair. His heart was beating even more rapidly as he made his way through the wet grass. He couldn't tell if he was excited or scared out of his mind. Still, he kept going and eventually reached the clump of houses. What would they do when they saw him? He needed to find Ivy. Ivy had to be here.

Ivy had found Lucius sitting on her porch once again, after he had finished his morning chores. The elders were having a meeting in the town hall. She had walked out, wearing a light green dress and her father's coat wrapped around her.

"You can come in, Lucius," she said with a smile. "Why didn't you just knock?"

"I like watching the rain," he responded quite simply as he sat on the steps.

"Have you eaten lunch already?" she asked. He shook his head. "Mother made some soup earlier. I have yet to have any if you would like to join me," she said. Lucius smiled one of his quiet, hardly there, smiles and stood up. Ivy led him to the door and opened it for him to go in first. It was at that moment, as she held onto the doorway, that she turned her head and looked out into the village. It was at that moment, like some sign of fate, that Kevin came into view.

He had a color. It was faint; it had always been faint, since he had returned with the medicine. Since he was still far, it was even fainter. The rain made it even harder to see anything clearly. She could see it though. It was enough to make her stop, unsure of herself and unsure of what she was seeing.

"Ivy?" she heard Lucius call as he returned to her. She could feel his gaze on her. "Is everything alright? Ivy?"

"Lucius…Lucius," Ivy whispered; her voice strained. Lucius's eyes followed to where Ivy seemed to be intently staring. There was someone walking towards them, but it seemed that the person had not seen them yet.

"Lucius, it's him. It's him," she repeated, as she stepped away from the door way and stood at the edge of the porch. Her hands clasped the cane in front of her as she just looked, her eyebrows contorted to a look of worry and uncertainty. Lucius came up behind her, his hand finding itself on her waist.

"How did he get pass those we do not speak of?" Lucius whispered and watched as this unknown person that Ivy seemed to know walked towards them. It seemed that he had seen them and was now walking at a quick pace. His voice even rang out into a word that was hidden with the sound of the rain, now coming down harsher. Lucius looked to the other houses, but no one appeared at the windows that had their curtains drawn, and no one seemed to notice.

"Ivy!" Kevin called again, drawing closer to the house. This was so much for him to take in, but now he saw his ghost. He saw her and, somehow, she knew it was him. She was there, standing, waiting. He was closer now. Muddy, wet, cold, tired, he even felt ill, but none of that matter. He had found Ivy, and she was waiting for him.

"Ivy," he said again, this time with less force and in less of a shout as he stopped in front of the porch. Ivy seemed to retract from him, bumping into Lucius as she took a step back.

"Ivy, it's me. It's Kevin," he breathed out. The world seemed to spin around him, he felt faint and dizzy yet elated all at the same time.

"Kevin," he heard her whisper, in a disbelieving tone that matched his emotions. Suddenly, she looked to Lucius. "We must get him inside, he can not be seen," Ivy quickly said and took a step down from the porch, fumbling for Kevin's arm. He lifted his arm to her and she felt the unfamiliar fabric of his jacket. Ignoring it for the time being, she pulled him up and ushered him into the house. "You can not be seen," she repeated.

In a daze, Kevin let himself be let into the house and watched as the man that was with Ivy shut and locked the door behind them. Ivy was feeling his forehead and his wet hair.

"You will catch your death," she whispered, unsure of what to do. Lucius simply watched from the door, his hands at his sides. "How did you find me?" she asked. She didn't want to seem rude and asked why he had found her. This was dangerous. It jeopardized everything the elders had worked for. She knew the question in Lucius's head. He wanted to know why those we don't speak of did not harm him.

"Ivy...I just came over the fence…I don't know how I found you, really. I don't even know what I'm doing here. I didn't know there was a village in the woods," he finished, unable to keep his eyes away from Ivy. She was real. She was solid.

"This is Lucius," was all Ivy could respond, as she motioned to where she thought Lucius stood. Lucius nodded to Kevin. "Lucius…this is Kevin. He was the one that got the medicine for you," she said. It was happening too fast. She didn't know what to do or say. He couldn't be here. He didn't belong here. Why was he here?

"Lucius….um, nice to meet you," was all Kevin could say as he extended his muddy hand to him. Realizing that the mud was still on it, he shook his head and retracted it. "Never mind,"

"Are you hungry, Kevin? We were going to have some soup, but first I think we should get you out of the wet clothes. Lucius, do you think he is of your size?" Ivy asked, and Lucius answered by unlocking the door and running to his own home to retrieve clothing.

"He was the one that needed the medicine?" Kevin finally asked, putting down his backpack and taking off his jacket. Ivy nodded as she took his things and set them near the door.

"Yes. He is alive and well because of you," she said. "I do not know what to say to you, Kevin. I did not expect to see you again. You are not supposed to know of our village," Ivy said, speaking her mind as she often did. Kevin watched her as she turned to face him. She looked the way she had when he first saw her.

"Look, I don't know why I'm here either. I can't even begin to think of an answer to the question. I can start by giving this back to you," he said and took out the gold watch from his pocket. He grabbed her hand and let the watch fall upon it.

"It was payment for the medicine, I can not take it," Ivy said, shaking her head.

"I don't and didn't need any payment," Kevin responded. He let go of her hand and ran his own through his wet hair. Lucius returned then, slightly wet from the rain, but carrying fresh and dry clothing. Kevin left to one of the rooms to change.

The clothing was odd and it was that then he realized that it was old fashioned, just like her dress. Another thing that struck him as odd was that there was no television in the living room. No lights. There didn't seem to be any sign of electricity in the entire house. When he managed to get his clothing on, which fit almost perfectly, it was strange. He was wearing suspenders and he had never even owned a pair of suspenders his entire life. There was a water basin in the room and he used that to clean off his hands. He felt ill and hoped that the rain would not make him sick. When he returned to the kitchen, a bowl of hot soup was waiting for him, and Lucius and Ivy were seated at the table already, waiting. By their sudden silence it was apparent that they had been discussing him. When he sat down, he watched as Lucius and Ivy bowed their head in prayer. He followed example, not wanting to be rude and listened as Lucius said only the 'Our Father.'

Once the prayer was finished, they each began eating their soup. Kevin waited to see how they ate before nearly devouring his own bowl. When he was nearly done, he noticed the awkward silence at the table. Lucius seemed to be a quiet guy anyway, but it seemed forced. Kevin looked out a window and fixated himself on watching the puddles gather rain.

"We have to take him to see the elders," Lucius finally said. Kevin raised his eyebrows.

"The elders?" he questioned.

"They are the council of the older people in the village, Kevin. My parents and Lucius's mother are part of it. You see, we've never had someone from the towns wander in and we do not know what to do about it. They will know what to do and how to explain your presence to the others without anyone being frightened," Ivy said gently.

"Frightened?" Kevin said.

"You see, we are not supposed to go to the towns. The woods are filled with creatures that we do not speak of. They are supposed to stay out of the village and we do not venture into their woods. When I did, we paid dearly for it," Ivy said, a note of sadness coming into her voice. Now she was lying to someone that knew more of the towns then she suspected she'd ever learn.

"Creatures? I didn't see any sort of creatures in the woods," Kevin said. Ivy heard Lucius's breath hitch and she spoke once again.

"They are attracted to the forbidden color. The color is red. We are not allowed to have any sign of that color in the village. Yellow is the safe color. Perhaps they did not attack you because you were innocent of intent and they knew you had not come to look for them," Ivy explained. This new information startled Kevin. He had slept, unprotected except for a mere fire, in woods that contained some sort of creature that evidently evoked fear in the village. "It is best if you do not speak of the towns to the other villagers, Kevin. We must leave all decisions to the elders, though," she finished calmly.

"I feel like I've caused a lot of problems," he said sheepishly. Ivy smiled kindly.

"Let us hope you have not," she replied.


	4. Over the Rainbow

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own 'The Village' and I'm waiting for MNS to show up at my door and give it to me in a nice box -

**A/N:** Finally, an update! I'm sorry it took me so long, I just started my sophomore year at high school and I have a very hectic schedule. From now on expect an update every weekend at least. Well, last chapter's title was from "No Rain" by Blind Melon, one of my favorite 90s songs.

**Chapter 4: Over the Rainbow**

Lucius had cleared the table for them and Ivy had placed the dishes in a basket to be washed. Kevin in the meanwhile idly walked around the house, noting the small oddities. There were no signs of any modern devices. There was no television, no lights other then candles. The first thought that crossed his mind was that they were Amish. It still didn't explain why he had never been told, but it was the simplest explanation available. He continued down a hall to the bedrooms. He walked into the first bedroom he saw, which he noticed had a window that had a view of the porch.

"Ivy?" Kevin called from the bedroom. It looked like a girl's room, but he wasn't sure if Ivy had a sister or not.

"Yes, Kevin?" Ivy responded and Kevin could hear her cane idly tapping the floorboards. He walked into the hall and met her there.

"Ivy, I have a question. Why don't you have any electricity?" he asked. Ivy's head tilted slightly and her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Electricity? I have never heard of that word before, Kevin." she responded slowly. It was Kevin's turn to look confused.

"Have you ever heard of television?" Ivy shook her head in response. "Cars? Airplanes?" To each Ivy only looked more confused.

"You have never heard of an airplane? But planes fly over…" His voice faded as he remembered what the boss had told him. Someone had paid off the government to not fly over the reserve.

"How about television? McDonald's?" Kevin said in disbelief and his confusion only increased with Ivy's response.

"None of those words are familiar to me, Kevin. Are they in the towns? We have not been told a lot about the towns except that they are filled with wicked people," Ivy explained. Kevin nodded but then remembered she could not see him.

"Are you taking me to see those people you talked about now?" he asked.

"Yes, they should still be in meeting since my father has not returned yet. We should go now." Ivy led Kevin to a hall closet as she spoke. She took a coat out and pulled it on her. Once she had fastened it securely, she took another coat out and handed it to Kevin.

"Where's your friend? Lucius, right?" Kevin asked as he put on the coat. Ivy tapped her cane lightly as she figured out her direction and walked to the door.

"Yes. His name is Lucius Hunt. He went ahead to notify the elders and make sure the other villagers are not out," Ivy opened the door and waited for Kevin to step out before closing it behind her. She stepped off the porch and resolutely stepped onto the grass and began walking. The rain had calmed and was now mere sprinkles.

It was amazing how well Ivy managed through the slick, wet grass. She hardly used the cane and seemed to know where every slightly dangerous hole was and stepped over them with ease. Despite her skill, Kevin felt the need to keep close to her in case she stumbled. It was the gentleman in him.

They passed the quiet houses whose curtains were drawn and windows were closed in effort to keep out the cold. Most houses had chimneys going and the smell of lunch being eaten and dinner already beginning to get prepared passed over the village. Some of the houses had picket white fences surrounding their gardens of several varieties of vegetables. He could not see a convenient store or some sort of market in site. Just houses filled with families, he assumed. And around the clearing at some distance, were the woods. They were outlined with poles marked with yellow lines and yellow flags and lanterns. There was the watch tower he had seen. It was all to keep those creatures out. The thought of having spent a night in woods filled with apparently vicious sounding creatures gave him the chills.

"We are here," Ivy said as they stopped at a white building. He could hear voices inside and one of them sounded like Lucius's, but he wasn't sure. Ivy went up the steps and Kevin followed behind. Ivy knocked once before opening the doors. They entered to a hush silence. There was a group of people in a circle, the elders, and Lucius was standing near them. They were all starring at Kevin, a look on each of their faces that he couldn't read. Ivy began walking forward towards the elders, and when Kevin did not follow, she beckoned him with her hand.

"Father, elders, as I am sure Lucius has told you, this is Kevin," Ivy paused. "What did you say your surname was, Kevin?" she asked.

Kevin cleared his throat, "Lupinski. Kevin Lupinski," he said quietly.

"He is from the towns," Ivy finished once he answered. "He is the one that retrieved Lucius's medicine for me. He is the one I spoke of." A breathless silence met her explanation as all eyes shifted from Ivy to Kevin once again. Lucius was the only one whose eyes remained on Ivy before settling on a spot on the floor. Finally, Edward Walker, Ivy's father, cleared his throat.

"Lucius, Ivy, will you please step out for a minute? It will be best if you return home. Did anyone see you?"

"No, papa, I do not believe anyone noticed us," Ivy said. Lucius crossed to Ivy's side and began leading her out. Kevin remained in his spot and watched helplessly as Lucius lead Ivy away. Once the door closed and their footsteps disappeared, he turned back to the elders.

"Kevin, please, come forward," one of the elders, a woman this time, said. Kevin obliged and stepped nearer to their circle.

"You are from the towns?" she asked gently, her face etched with worry but her voice was reassuring.

"Um, yes. I work for the Walker Animal Preserve," he answered. "It's what the woods are known as, to us. I had no idea that there was a village inside them. No one ever told me or answered my questions," he explained. He wanted to get everything off his chest now. The elders looked at each other before nodding.

"Kevin, I'm Alice Hunt, Lucius's mother," the same woman that had been speaking to him, said. "What year do you think it is?"

Kevin looked puzzled by the question and he hesitated before answering. His hands were in the pockets of the jacket and he fiddled with a lose string in them.

"It's 2004." he responded. Alice nodded but then shook her head.

"Yes, that is correct…it should be 2004 by now, shouldn't it?" she said to herself, but the other elders nodded in response.

"You see, Kevin, it is not 2004 here," Edward Walker broke in. The other elders seemed worried, but they did not protest him continuing.

"What do you mean it's not 2004 _here_?" Kevin asked.

"It's the year 1897."

"It's not. It's the year 2004. You can't set back time. Have you never heard of electricity either? Why are you all wearing old fashioned clothes? Why are you living in the middle of the woods? Why would anyone want to live in the middle of the woods?" Kevin blurted out. Every question he had seemed to be spilling out.

"We have all heard of electricity," Edward Walker replied, and it appeared as if he was about to smile from recalling a memory of long ago. "And we didn't set back time. We just…reset it. Neither Ivy nor Lucius have any idea that the year is 2004. They have no concept of that. None of the other villagers do. It is 1897 to them and that is all. We are living in the middle of the woods because we created this village. In the 70s, we escaped the outside world and came here," Edward explained. Kevin blinked at him.

"So that's why Ivy's never heard of planes or any modern inventions. Do you teach them anything?" Kevin asked. He was being blunt, but a strange feeling had arisen within him.

"We do have a school, yes. I teach it. But we teach them of other things," Edward responded. "And…the elders and I," he looked to the members of the circle and they all nodded for him to continue. "The elders and I think it is best that you do not mention anything of that kind that they would not know of them anyone. We do not want confusions and we have worked hard to--"

"To keep them from knowing the truth? Are you telling me that no one in this place has any idea of the outside world other then that it's 'wicked'?" Kevin interrupted. It was unlike his normally simple nature to say anything angry.

"Well…yes, but you must agree to not mentioning anything that could jeopardize what we've created, Kevin. I can't tell you that I'm thrilled to see an outsider coming in," Edward said quickly. Kevin didn't respond and instead shook his head.

"I just can't believe it," he said after a little bit.

"We will need to find a place for him to stay, Edward," August Nicholson cut in. Edward nodded in response.

"He can stay with me and share a bedroom with Lucius. I'm sure he will not mind," Alice said with a nod. The others agreed.

"Has…has Ivy mentioned those we don't speak of to you?" Edward asked. Kevin nodded.

"She said they were attracted to the color red and didn't like the color yellow. I didn't see anything in the woods last night," Kevin responded. Edward nodded.

"While you're here, it is best you do not go back into the woods. We wouldn't want those we don't speak of to get angry. And, to explain your presence, we will say that you brought medicines and are a distant cousin of Lucius, if anyone asks," Edward said finally. Kevin nodded slowly. "Also…we will wait till it stops raining heavily so you can make your journey back."

Once he finished, Kevin pivoted on his feet and began walking out before turning back.

"Wait…where am I supposed to go now?" he said, sounding very stupid as he did so.

"Well, I suppose you can find Ivy and Lucius and tell Lucius of your new living arrangements so that he can show you to our home," Alice Hunt responded.

"Thanks," Kevin said and proceeded to walk out the door. He couldn't help but notice the yellow cloaks hanging on the side of the door. His eyes scanned over them but he continued walking out the door without asking about them.

The rain outside had now picked up and was pouring heavily again. He wondered what time it was and instinctively reached into his pocket for the watch before realizing that he had given it back. Sighing, he stuck his hands in the pockets of the jacket and began running towards where he remembered Ivy's house being. When he saw an upcoming puddle of mud, he stopped, remembering his previous experience with running in the rain. He began walking again, this time at a normal pace, taking time to glance around the houses.

The very thought of their isolation sent chills up his spine. He had never been much of a psychologist or very intellectual but the entire thing seemed extremely weird and just not right. He wished they had not said everything so rushed and had taken time to explain this all to him. Why did he have to keep quiet anyway? Where they afraid people would leave for the towns? He knew he would. The village seemed too simple, but then again he had not seen any other people besides the elders, Ivy and Lucius. Still, everything was too normal. Or perhaps what he was thinking was that it wasn't normal at all. It was like he had disappeared into a place over the rainbow and wasn't in Kansas…or Pennsylvania anymore.

Since he had become so engrossed in his thoughts, he suddenly realized hat most of the houses looked the same and he couldn't remember exactly which one was Ivy's. Sighing, he strained to think of it and remembered it had a porch and Ivy's room had the window that looked out onto it. When he looked at the houses, he saw that the majority of them have porches and windows. With a frustrated sigh he continued walking and was relieved to see Lucius pop his head out of one the doors. It wasn't Ivy's house; he knew that much, so he figured it must be his and his mother's.

"Lucius, hey, wait," Kevin said as he jogged lightly to his door. Lucius quirked his eyebrow at him.

"Your mother, Alice…Mrs. Hunt, I guess, said that I'd be staying with you and her while I'm here until the weather clears up a bit, at least. Y'know, I still don't know why I'm here, but I have vacation off from work and maybe I could stay for a bit. Who knows when the rain'll stop long enough," Kevin said. Lucius's blank stare was not reassuring.

"Come in, then," Lucius said and stepped back, opening the door widely. "Well, this is our home," Lucius motioned with his hand around the house.

"Where's Ivy?" Kevin asked suddenly. Lucius quirked his eyebrow again before idly fidgeting with the door knob.

"She's at her own home, I believe," he said finally. Kevin nodded and idly pace in a circle near the door.

"Well. Perhaps you'd like to join me on the watch tonight?" Lucius asked, fiddling with the buttons on his coat. Even in his own home, he seemed out of place.

"Watch? At the tower? For those creatures?" Kevin asked.

"Yes, for those we do not speak of," Lucius responded and beckoned him into the living room and motioned for him to sit down. Kevin sat and ruffled his own hair in an effort to make it dry again.

"What time is it?" Kevin asked as Lucius sat himself in another chair.

"It's about two in the afternoon. My mother should be coming home soon, I'm sure they're done discussing everything," he said.

"What about your dad? I mean, your father?" Kevin asked as he looked around the room as if expecting someone else to appear out of thin air.

"My father is dead," Lucius said simply. Kevin bit his glossy lips.

"Sorry, I didn't know." To this Lucius shrugged. They lapsed into silence and the only sound that could be heard was the beating of rain on the roof.

"You did not see those we don't speak of?" Lucius asked. "In the woods, I mean."

"Well, no. I don't know what they look like. Do they stay out of the village?" Kevin asked.

"Yes. Except when we anger them by going in. It is why Ivy fears the repercussions of you being here," Lucius explained what he thought was true.

"Have they ever come in?"

"Yes. They breeched the borders not a month ago. They marked our doors with red marks because I entered the woods," Lucius explained, a note of guilt in his voice.

"Oh. What about Ivy? When she came to get the medicines?"

"One attacked her and she killed it. But them they took one of our own," Lucius said. Kevin decided not to question him further about it. Another silence elapsed.

"So…" Kevin finally said as he idly twiddled his thumbs.

"Why did you come?"

"I don't know."

"Was it for Ivy?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Who else would it be for?"

"Why does it have to be for someone? I was curious."

"Curious enough to follow a strange girl...a woman into forbidden woods?"

"I didn't know they had any sort of creatures in them and why are you so suspicious?"

"I was merely asking questions."

"Alright," Kevin finally said and an uncomfortable silence fell upon them. Lucius leaned over a nearby table and began reading a book. Kevin was left to twiddle his thumb as stare blankly into the floorboards. If he had to share a room with Lucius, it would be a very long and very silent stay.


End file.
